The Chaos Academy
by Nate Grey
Summary: The infamous school from "The Anime World" is open for class, and education will never be the same...
1. Chaos Academy

Disclaimer: All characters belong to their respective owners.  
  
Summary: The infamous school from "The Anime World" is finally open for class, and education will never be the same...   
  
Author's Note: I first came up with the Chaos Academy as a mere joke for "The Anime World." That was a big success, and I was thinking of a sequel, when one of my readers asked if I was going to write more about the Academy. I hadn't planned on it, but that very same morning, I already had three pages done. This is the result, and you've all got Star Otaku to thank for it. Enjoy!  
  
1. I have given some characters additional powers. After all, it works for the story, so don't bother telling me what they can or can't do, because I'll just say it's my fanfic and not yours. If you're looking for some sort of continuity, stop it. :)   
2. In creating the Chaos Academy, I've combined elements of high school and college.   
3. The Kagato mentioned here is the grey-haired one with the spaceship Souja, not the dark emperor of Jurai (who has green or blue hair).  
4. Tetsuo was featured in an 80's anime movie called Akira. If you haven't seen it, and you like blood & guts scattered everywhere, do yourself a favor and try to find it.   
5. This story was intended to be a mini-series, but I figured I'd save us all some time and make it one story.  
6. The Sabrina mentioned here is the younger version of the Saffron City Pokemon trainer, in case you get curious.  
  
... are thoughts.  
  
  
The Chaos Academy  
  
  
Professor Tomoe was the toughest teacher that ever lived. He was also the best. His classes were always full, and the students in it were always struggling. The few that did pass went on to become the best villains. The rest got booted to Rerun Remedial School.  
  
Of course, being smart wasn't really a requirement in this class. Being totally evil was, but it helped if you could be fiendishly clever at the same time. So far, only four seniors had received Prof. Tomoe's seal of approval. Around school, three of them were known as the Destroyers, and for good reason. Kagato, Vegeta, and Garlic Jr. all had very bad tempers, and the raw power needed to back them up.   
  
Kagato was the leader and the brains of the group. It was rumored that he'd seduced every female teacher in the school. That was only a rumor, though. He'd actually only gotten to one, but since she was the toughest female teacher, and the smartest being to ever grace the hallowed halls of Chaos Academy, the feat made him legendary among the students.  
  
Vegeta, the enforcer of the group, was supposedly the strongest. He was captain of the school's football team, which was aptly called the Heralds. That was short for Heralds of Apocalypse (with Vegeta, of course, being the Apocalypse). It was also Vegeta's duty to date every head cheerleader for at least three days. No girl had ever held his interest longer than that. No girl but one, anyway.  
  
No one knew very much about Garlic Jr. He obviously wasn't human, and his father had been one of the school's founders. He had the nastiest temper of the three, and spent most of his time creating strange potions in the science lab.  
  
The last senior was a spirited girl named Ryoko. She had recently become the head cheerleader, and Vegeta's newest girlfriend. They'd been together a record three days...and two months. No one could figure out why, though. Ryoko seemed to be like all the girls before her. She had a love for blowing up things (as did most of the students), and could easily win a beauty pageant, if she added a touch of make-up. There was only one thing that made her different, and most people considered it a bad thing: she was the alleged daughter of Professor Washu. Ryoko never confirmed or denied the rumor, but it was clear she didn't like her "mother" very much.  
  
* * * * *  
  
The day had started off like any other. The elite seniors were all gathered in Professor Tomoe's homeroom for the morning announcements.  
  
Tomoe cleared his throat and began. "Everyone remember to congratulate our Heralds when you pass them in the halls today. They captured the western division title last night, and are now in the finals."  
  
A collective cheer went up around the classroom, and several students reached over to clap Vegeta on the shoulder.  
  
"Also, Garlic Jr. took first place in the state Science Fair this year with his project on the Chaos Theory. Kagato & Vegeta took second with their combined project on Human vs. Saiyan Stamina."  
  
Another round of cheers, followed by shoulder claps for all three Destroyers.  
  
"Oh, and now some very good news. It appears we have a new student joining us today. All of you are to report to Gauntlet Arena after homeroom." Tomoe glanced down at his watch. "That's all, then. Class dismissed."  
  
Kagato licked his lips as the three Destroyers headed for the Arena. "Hear that, Vegeta? Fresh meat."  
  
The young Saiyan Prince smiled. "Good. It's been a while since I got to use my Gallic Gun."  
  
"I say they last all of five seconds," Garlic sneered, rubbing his small hands together.  
  
"I say two and a half, since it's Vegeta's turn to start things off," Kagato added.  
  
Vegeta was about to reply when a pair of arms suddenly appeared around his neck.  
  
"You boys planning on having some fun without me? That's not nice at all!"  
  
Kagato rolled his eyes. "Hello, Ryoko. I see you're in a good mood today. How's your mother?"   
  
Ryoko gave Vegeta a peck on the cheek and smiled icily at Kagato. "I don't know or care. But I'm always in a good mood when my man's about to be see some action. Don't you just love the stench of burning flesh in the morning?"  
  
"Well, we won't see anything unless we hurry," Garlic growled. "Kagato?"  
  
"Very well. One mass teleport, coming right up." Kagato waved an arm, and the four were instantly standing inside the already crowded Gauntlet Arena.  
  
"Well, the new kid should be here any minute," Ryoko said, narrowing her eyes. "I can hardly wait."  
  
* * * * *  
  
Professor Washu peered over the top of her glasses at the small girl. "Are you sure you're in the right place?"  
  
The girl nodded. "Yes, ma'am. I was ordered to come here by Jurai's royal family."  
  
"I can understand that," Washu said, "but are you certain you're supposed to be a senior?"  
  
"That's where the entrance exams placed me, ma'am. I'm not really familiar with this planet's educational system."  
  
"Okay, then. According to these test results, you're supposed to be in Professor Tomoe's homeroom. That means you'll have an advanced class schedule. Hmm...the same as my Ryoko. Who did you say your parents were?"  
  
The girl lowered her head. "I...didn't. I don't have any."  
  
"I see. Sorry about that." Washu glanced back at the papers in her hand. "Well, Yugi, welcome to the Chaos Academy. I assume you're aware of your special abilities already?"  
  
"Yes, ma'am. Why is that important?"  
  
Washu simply stared at her. "Trust me, it's VERY important on your first day..."  
  
* * * * *  
  
A warning horn blared in the Arena, and the main doors slowly slid open.  
  
"Better get ready, Vegeta," Ryoko warned. "Here comes the new kid!"  
  
Vegeta stepped forward, quickly building up the energy needed for his signature attack. "Any last bets?"  
  
"One second and three quarters," Garlic said, taking out a stopwatch.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Yugi swallowed noisily as she stepped inside the Arena. Suddenly, the doors slammed shut behind her. She was blinded by bright floodlights, which were aimed at the entrance for that exact purpose.  
  
A dull roar began to build up as she stumbled forward. It took her a few moments to sense that the Arena was slowly filling up with some sort of gas. It made her eyes burn and water, and air was becoming thin. A scary thought came to her: it was supposed to be this way...but why?  
  
Before she could come up with an answer, a golden glow pierced through the gas clouds, and an angel reached out for her.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Vegeta was planning to fire his Gallic Gun as soon as the gas activated. But just before it did, the new kid appeared, and he paused. She was very new, as in newborn, and kid was the best possible word for her. She looked more like an elementary student than a high school one. She wore overalls a little too big for her and sneakers. Still, Vegeta and the other Destroyers set the standard of excellence at the Chaos Academy, and no new kid was going to ruin his rep.   
  
He laced his fingers together, forming a gun, and prepared to fire.  
  
Through her tears, the new kid looked up, her eyes locking on his for a fraction of a second. Then she lowered her head, trying to wipe her eyes, and maybe clear her vision.   
  
Fortunately, that fraction of a second was all Vegeta needed. He slowly lowered his hands. Can it really be her? Is she...the one?  
  
"Vegeta? What are you doing?" Ryoko asked. "Why'd you stop?"  
  
Vegeta didn't answer. Instead, he slowly floated into the air and flew away from the stands, heading straight for the new kid. I have to reach her before it's too late...for both of us.  
  
"Maybe he wants to hit her at point-blank range?" Garlic guessed.   
  
"No, it can't be that," Kagato said. "He hates getting blood on his uniform. There's something strange going on in his head." And he would know, since telepathy was one of Kagato's specialties. Vegeta had exceptionally strong defenses, mentally and physically, but for the first time in years, Kagato caught a gleam from the Saiyan's mind. There was an overwhelming feeling of...concern?  
  
The gas hid Vegeta from view, but he had no problem maneuvering through it. He could hear the girl's coughs and gasps as he got closer, and put on a sudden burst of speed. "Grab my hand!" he shouted.  
  
The girl didn't obey, and it took him a few seconds to realize why.  
  
Vegeta closed his eyes and focused his energy. His muscles ripped and began to expand. His eyes turned green, and then his hair flashed with a golden glow. The light from it pierced through the gas, and he waited.  
  
Finally, the girl came stumbling towards him, tears running down her small face. Instead of taking his outstretched hand, she collided with his chest and threw her arms around his waist.  
  
Vegeta frowned a bit, and the glow quickly left his hair. His eyes returned to their normal color. He wrapped an arm around the girl and floated upward. Then he aimed at the floor and fired the Gallic Gun. He fired a second blast at the Arena's roof and flew through the hole just before the Arena was filled with laser blasts, bullets, arrows, spears, and anything else that could be shot or thrown.  
  
No one even saw him leave. No one but the other Destroyers and Ryoko.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Yugi slowly opened her eyes. She was outside now; the sun blinded her for a moment. She shielded her eyes with her arm, and slowly sat up, moaning quietly. As she did so, a hand came to rest on her shoulder.  
  
Yugi gasped and looked at it. A white glove covered the hand. Her gaze went past the glove, up the well-defined arm, and came to rest on the face above hers. The eyes looked like they could form the perfect glare, but for now, they only held concern.  
  
Neither of them said anything for a long time.  
  
"Are you hurt?" he asked.  
  
Yugi continued to stare at him, but shook her head.  
  
"Do you have a name?"  
  
She swallowed, then whispered, "Yugi."  
  
"Yugi what?"   
  
She shook her head again. "Just Yugi." Her eyes finally left his, and locked on her feet. "Thanks for saving me, Mister..."  
  
"Not Mister. I hate that. Call me Vegeta."  
  
She nodded, and started to get up when he took her hand.   
  
"You are hurt."  
  
Yugi followed his gaze down to her arm. There was a long wound where something had hit her arm, and blood was beginning to pool up there. "Oh. It's nothing. I-I'll be okay."  
  
His eyes left her arm and traveled to her face. She swallowed a gasp, becoming even more nervous than before. She's afraid of me. "Why are you so scared?"  
  
She began to shake a little. "Y-You're a S-Saiyan, right?"  
  
Here it comes. All Saiyans are violent monsters that kill people. He nodded.  
  
Her eyes widened a bit. "S-Saiyans attacked my h-home planet. Th-They killed a lot of p-people."  
  
"Well, I wasn't with them, and I did just save you." His eyes didn't leave her face.  
  
Yugi stopped shaking, but she was still very nervous. Her eyes drifted down to his right knee. His uniform was torn there, and little red spots seemed to decorate the wound. "Y-You're hurt, t-too," she whispered.  
  
He glanced down at his knee. "It's nothing."  
  
For the first time, a tiny smile appeared on her face. "That's what I said."  
  
He matched her smile with one of his own. "I'd better take you to the nurse."  
  
She hesitated, then came closer to him. "Are you in Professor Tomoe's homeroom?"  
  
"Yes. Why?" he asked.  
  
Yugi smiled a little wider this time. "Me, too."  
  
"You?" He looked genuinely surprised. She's a senior? An elite one? But how?  
  
She nodded. "That's what Professor Washu told me."  
  
He stared at her, then shook his head. "Come on. I want to get you checked out before Kagato finds us."  
  
Yugi did her best to keep up with his fast pace. "Who's he?"  
  
"Someone you definitely won't like, and vice versa."  
  
* * * * *  
  
Ryoko was the first to find Vegeta. He was standing inside the nurse's waiting room when she appeared in front of him. "We need to talk," she said seriously.  
  
Vegeta looked as if he had seen that coming, but didn't say a word.  
  
"Why'd you save the kid, Vegeta? You know something like that could ruin your-and our-reputations. Kagato won't like it."  
  
Vegeta closed his eyes. "When have you ever known me to be interested in what Kagato did or didn't like, Ryoko?"  
  
"Never, but you were smart enough not to show it or think it! You've never pulled anything this stupid! Do you really think he's not going to do anything?"  
  
"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were worried about me."  
  
Ryoko sighed and placed her hands on his shoulders. "Vegeta, please don't do this to me. You know I can't stand it when you say things like that!"  
  
Vegeta opened his eyes. "Then why do you even bother to stay with me?"  
  
"We both know why," Ryoko whispered, staring into his eyes. "You just won't admit it to yourself yet."  
  
The door to the examination room swung open, and Washu stepped out. "I see you two are still as close as ever."  
  
Vegeta pulled away from Ryoko and turned to Washu. "How is she?"  
  
"Ask her yourself," Washu replied with a smile.  
  
Yugi slowly stepped out from behind Washu. Her right arm had a long bandage on it, but she was perfectly fine otherwise.  
  
Ryoko's eyes narrowed. "Vegeta, if you-"  
  
Vegeta silenced her with sharp look, then kneeled down to inspect Yugi's arm.  
  
In that instant, Kagato and Garlic Jr. appeared behind Ryoko.  
  
"A warning, my friend," Kagato said quietly, looking directly at Vegeta. "The next time you wish to hide from me, keep your sickening concern for a small child to yourself. I almost choked on the scent."  
  
Yugi quickly hid behind Vegeta as he stood and faced Kagato.  
  
"You disappoint us, old friend," Garlic muttered, shaking his head. "I always hoped Kagato was wrong when he told me this day would come. If you hand over the child now, we can still pretend this never happened."  
  
Vegeta glanced at Ryoko, and then down at Yugi, who was hugging his leg tightly. His eyes traveled back to Kagato. "Come and get her."  
  
Kagato narrowed his eyes. "You are a fool to challenge me, Vegeta."  
  
"No, Kagato. I was a fool to follow an even bigger one." Never taking his eyes off his rival, Vegeta reached down and picked up Yugi. "Coming, Ryoko?"  
  
Ryoko hesitated, then followed Vegeta out of the office.  
  
Kagato frowned. "I suppose you knew this would happen, Washu."  
  
Washu shrugged. "I knew Vegeta wouldn't take orders from anyone. I thought you knew that, but I guess you didn't."  
  
"I knew. I just didn't think he would openly challenge me."  
  
Washu nearly laughed. "You think he's afraid of you? Because if you say that, I promise I'll never stop laughing."  
  
* * * * *  
  
Yugi was very nervous. Partially because Vegeta and Kagato had been inside the Arena for a long time, and mainly because Ryoko kept staring at her, and not in a good way.  
  
"You just better be worth it," Ryoko muttered.  
  
"What?" Yugi asked.  
  
"Vegeta's life. You do know Kagato could kill him, don't you?"  
  
"I didn't ask him to protect me. He wanted to."  
  
Ryoko glared at her. "Why?"  
  
"I...don't know. He didn't say."  
  
The main door slid open, and Garlic Jr. walked out.  
  
"Who won?" Ryoko asked.  
  
"Vegeta. Kagato's gone...banished." There was a strange look on Garlic's face.  
  
"Well, where is he?"  
  
"Still inside."  
  
Ryoko's eyes widened. "Is he...?"  
  
"No. He's hurt, but that's not it, either. I'm not sure, but I think he was...praying."   
  
"Praying?" Ryoko repeated in disbelief. "Vegeta?"  
  
"That's what I was thinking. You'd better check on him. I'll watch the child."  
  
Ryoko nodded and flew into the Arena.   
  
Vegeta was kneeling in the center, and his eyes were cloudy. His uniform was torn and stained with blood in almost every spot. Yet, there was a tiny smile on his face.  
  
Ryoko landed next to him and helped him up. "Vegeta, can you hear me?"   
  
She expected him to say something like, "I don't need your help." Instead, he blinked. "Where is Yugi?"  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Yugi. The girl."  
  
Ryoko frowned as she half-dragged, half-carried him to the door. "Garlic's watching her." Noticing his sigh of relief, she narrowed her eyes. "You know her or something?"  
  
"No."  
  
"You love her?"  
  
He smirked. "How can I love someone I don't even know?"  
  
"Then why'd you save her?"  
  
Vegeta looked at her. "I had to." That was all he would say about it.  
  
Yugi gasped when they came through the door. "Is he okay?"  
  
Ryoko smirked. She obviously didn't know Vegeta very well.  
  
Vegeta pulled away from Ryoko and stood shakily on his own feet. He slowly took a step, then another. He stayed that way for about three seconds. Then his legs finally gave out, and he fell to his knees. He took deep breaths, trying to calm his racing heart.  
  
Arms slipped around his neck, and long, soft hair brushed against his scarred face, but they didn't belong to Ryoko.  
  
"Are you okay, Vegeta?" Yugi asked quietly. Her eyes were filled with concern, and there was no longer any fear in them.  
  
Vegeta didn't say anything right away. He slowly wrapped an arm around her waist. When his voice returned, he drew her closer and whispered, "I will protect you. I swear it."  
  
"But are you okay?" she repeated.  
  
Vegeta thought for a moment. "No, I'm not." Then his eyes rolled up into his head, and he passed out.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Though Vegeta's eyes were first met with darkness, they adjusted quickly. He was lying on a bed, but not his own. After a few minutes, he realized that it was Ryoko's room.   
  
He started to move when he heard a loud snore. Vegeta's eyes drifted to the left. Ryoko was asleep beside him, a light blanket hiding everything but her hair from view.  
  
Vegeta decided it would be best if he returned to his own dorm before they were discovered. He began to move again, but found his left arm was numb. He soon found out why.   
  
Yugi was asleep between he and Ryoko, part of the blanket covering her small body. Her arms were wrapped tightly around his left one, so much so that she was cutting off circulation.  
  
With some effort, Vegeta finally removed his arm from her iron grip. As soon as he did so, however, Yugi moaned in her sleep and reached for him. She kept feeling around the bed until her hands found his chest. Then she cuddled up against him and rested her head on his shoulder. Yugi sighed, a peaceful look coming over her face.  
  
Vegeta watched her for a long time before wrapping an arm around the child. She snuggled into his embrace and began to snore quietly. Vegeta sighed and stared up the ceiling, something he did when he couldn't get back to sleep.  
  
So is this what it feels like to have a family? Father taught me everything there is to know about fighting, but he never told me a thing about families.  
  
His eyes drifted down to Yugi's face.  
  
Is that why she's here? Am I supposed to learn...from her?   
  
As if answering his question, Yugi murmured in her sleep, "Daddy..."  
  
Vegeta's eyes widened a bit, but he decided not to wake her up. It would raise too many questions, and he was too tired as it was.  
  
* * * * *  
  
When Yugi woke up, Vegeta was gone. She quickly turned and shook Ryoko, who woke up with a snort.  
  
"Whadda ya want?" Ryoko asked groggily.  
  
"Wake up, Ryoko! Vegeta's gone!"  
  
Ryoko groaned. "He's a big boy that can take care of himself. Go back to sleep, kid."  
  
Yugi climbed out of bed and ran to the doorway. As she passed through it, and a strange tingle went up her spine. She shook it off and continued down the hallway. She could hear voices, and one of them sounded like Vegeta's.  
  
Eventually, she walked into a kitchen. In the center of the kitchen, around a table, sat Washu and Garlic Jr. Standing a few feet away from them, drinking black coffee, was Vegeta.  
  
"Vegeta!" Yugi cried as she ran in.  
  
The Saiyan looked up in surprise as she leaped into his arms. "Hello, Yugi," he muttered, looking a little embarrassed.  
  
Yugi hugged him tightly, pressing her face against his shirt. "I missed you," she murmured.  
  
Vegeta put her down before returning to his seat at the table. "Did you sleep well?"  
  
Yugi simply climbed into his lap and made herself comfortable. "Yes, but I don't think Ryoko likes me very much."  
  
Washu snorted. "I wouldn't worry about it. Besides, if Vegeta likes you, she won't have much choice."  
  
Yugi looked up at Vegeta. "You like me?"  
  
Vegeta actually turned a slight shade of red.  
  
Yugi grinned. "I like you, too!"  
  
"Not to interrupt, but how are you going to explain what happened yesterday to everyone else, old friend?" Garlic asked.  
  
Vegeta started to answer, but Washu cut him off. "We've already figured it out. Vegeta will just say that Yugi is his cousin."  
  
"You really think that will work?"  
  
Washu smirked. "This is Vegeta we're talking about. Even if anyone was suspicious, they wouldn't exactly be brave enough to ask questions."  
  
* * * * *  
  
Professor Tomoe was surprised to find that Vegeta, Ryoko, Garlic and Yugi were the first ones in class that morning. The Destroyers usually walked in just before the warning bell rang. "Good morning, students. Did something happen to Kagato?" he asked.  
  
"Transferred," Garlic replied.  
  
"I see. And who do we have here?"  
  
"This is Yugi, the new student," Vegeta said. "She's my...cousin."  
  
"Cousin?" Tomoe adjusted his glasses. "I take it you have relatives on Jurai, then?"  
  
"At least one, apparently," Ryoko muttered.  
  
"Well, it's nice to meet you, Yugi." Tomoe shook her hand. "Good to see you survived your first day with only minor wounds. Most new students are usually in the hospital for a week. Anyway, take a seat wherever you like."  
  
As Yugi sat in Kagato's old seat, she whispered to Garlic, "How did he know I'm from Jurai?"  
  
"Professor Tomoe is a brilliant man," Garlic answered. "He has a gift for identifying many different races. Hasn't been wrong about a student yet."   
  
Soon, more students began to enter the classroom. Most nodded to Garlic, Vegeta, and Ryoko, but no one even looked at Yugi.  
  
"Did I do something wrong, Vegeta?" Yugi asked after a while.  
  
"No. Kagato was very popular, and they think you're trying to take his place. It'll be like this for a while." Vegeta was about to say something else, but he suddenly stopped.  
  
Yugi followed his gaze to a boy standing in front of their table. His hair was black and his face was somewhat pale. He wore a ripped white T-shirt, black pants, and a swirling, red cape.  
  
"Hello, Tetsuo," Vegeta said quietly.  
  
Tetsuo nodded. His bloodshot eyes traveled to Yugi. "You have the talent," he whispered.  
  
Yugi stared at him. "I do?"  
  
Tetsuo nodded again. "Join us. After school. Gauntlet Arena." He glanced at the Destroyers and then added, "Come alone." With that, he slowly walked away and took his seat near the back of the classroom.  
  
"W-Who was t-that?" Yugi asked.  
  
"Tetsuo," Vegeta replied. "He's currently the most powerful student at the Chaos Academy."  
  
"He's president of the Psychic Club," Garlic added. "He must want you to join."  
  
"Me?" Yugi squeaked. "But I'll never be that scary!"  
  
"It takes time to become that evil," Vegeta said. "In Tetsuo's case, it only took a few days, but he's clinically insane, so I guess it was a trade-off."  
  
"If he's crazy, why do they let him walk around like that?" Yugi asked.  
  
"You just answered your own question," Ryoko replied.  
  
"But why do I have to come alone?"  
  
"Only psi-talents are allowed," Vegeta explained. "None of us are. Of course, Kagato was..."  
  
* * * * *  
  
Yugi had never been more nervous in her entire life. The Arena was almost totally dark, save for the many candles that had been placed at certain points on the floor. There were about thirty other students. Each either looked extremely intelligent, or, like Tetsuo, just plain scary.  
  
Tetsuo sat in the center of the Arena, surrounded by a circle of candles. He seemed to be meditating, so no one dared to disturb him.  
  
Yugi took a seat on the floor and watched the others students talk quietly among themselves. Suddenly, a hand touched her shoulder. She looked up to see a girl her size holding a candle. She had long, green hair and dark eyes.  
  
"Greetings, sister," she whispered, bowing. "I am Sabrina. Are you new here?"  
  
"Um...yes. I'm Yugi."  
  
"Welcome to the Psychic Club." Sabrina sat down beside her. "So, what is your talent?"  
  
"My...talent?" Yugi asked.  
  
"Yes, your gift. What is it that makes you one of us?"  
  
"Oh. Um...I can move things with my mind, and sometimes, I can read thoughts."  
  
Sabrina smiled. "So you are a fellow telekinetic, and a telepath. Tetsuo will like you."  
  
"Is that a good thing?"  
  
"Oh, yes! Tetsuo only teaches the students with the greatest potential. There are not many of us, but we can do great things together."  
  
"Was...Kagato one of those?" Yugi asked.  
  
"He was very powerful, yes. But he would not allow himself to be taught. Tetsuo was going to take a vote to decide whether or not he should remain." She lowered her voice. "Personally, I thought he was a jerk, and I'm glad he's gone."  
  
Yugi smiled. "Me, too."  
  
Sabrina reached for her hand. "Come. I will take you to Tetsuo. He will introduce you to everyone."  
  
Yugi hesitantly took Sabrina's hand and followed her to the circle of candles.  
  
"I must ask that you only refer to him as Akira while we are here," Sabrina said. "Otherwise...well...you don't want to know."  
  
Tetsuo opened his eyes and looked at Yugi. "Welcome, child. I sense a great power within you."  
  
"Um...thanks." Yugi chuckled nervously.  
  
"Do not be afraid," Tetsuo said. "We are all family, and you are one of us now. Sabrina will be your guide. Feel free to ask her anything that concerns you." He stood up and spread his arms.  
  
Everyone instantly grew silent and turned to face him.  
  
"Brothers and sister, rejoice! Another has found her way to our family. I would like to introduce Yugi, Vegeta's cousin. She possesses the gifts of Move, Think, and Create."  
  
"What does that mean?" Yugi whispered.  
  
"That means you have telekinesis, telepathy, and...life." Sabrina's eyes widened a bit.  
  
"Life?" Yugi asked, looking confused.  
  
"The ability to give it, and to take it away," Sabrina whispered. "But we will talk about that later, my friend."  
  
* * * * *  
  
"You're really going to do this, aren't you?" Ryoko asked.  
  
Vegeta didn't look at her. "You expect me to abandon the child, Ryoko?"  
  
"I just want to know why she's so important to you."  
  
"My reasons are my own."  
  
"Fine." Ryoko crossed her arms over her chest.   
  
"Are you jealous?" Vegeta asked.  
  
"I guess I am. Would it make a difference if I wasn't?"  
  
"No."  
  
She sighed. "You don't know the first thing about children."  
  
"Then I guess I'm going to learn," Vegeta said. "You will, too."  
  
"What makes you think I'm going to keep seeing you?"  
  
"Yugi likes you. You'll stay for her."  
  
Ryoko didn't say anything.  
  
A few minutes later, Yugi finally emerged from the Arena, but she wasn't alone.  
  
"Who's that?" Ryoko asked.  
  
"Sabrina," Vegeta said. "Tetsuo's favorite prodigy."   
  
"That guy gives me the creeps," Ryoko muttered.  
  
Vegeta smirked. "That's his job."  
  
Yugi ran up to them. "Guys, guess what! Tetsuo said I've got great potential!"  
  
"That's real nice, kid," Ryoko said.  
  
"Oh, and I made a new friend! This is Sabrina!"  
  
"We've met once or twice," Sabrina added, smiling at them, but mainly at Vegeta.  
  
"We'd better go," Ryoko growled. "Washu's waiting." She grabbed Vegeta's arm and nearly dragged him away.   
  
"Thanks for helping me, Sabrina," Yugi said. "I really appreciate it."  
  
Sabrina nodded. "There is no need to thank me, my friend. I will see you tomorrow."   
  
"Okay. Bye!" Yugi waved and ran to catch up with Ryoko and Vegeta.  
  
Sabrina smiled. "What do you think, Tetsuo?"  
  
Tetsuo suddenly appeared beside her. "I think she will be my best student yet, Sabrina." A smile slowly inched across his face. "Yes, my best, indeed."  
  
The End!  



	2. Yugi & the 7 Cells

Disclaimer: All characters belong to their respective owners.  
  
Author's Note: Due to popular demand, the next installment is here.  
  
... are thoughts.  
  
Chaos Academy 2: Yugi & The 7 Cells  
  
  
Vegeta woke up feeling grumpier than usual. Something about the air was wrong, and it didn't suit him.  
  
He considered staying in bed, but once Ryoko began to snore again, he sighed and forced himself to his feet. Only then did he hear the voices. Two merry, childish, somewhat annoying voices. Normally, he wouldn't care, but Vegeta was already pissed, so he figured the annoyance required at least some investigation on his part. If he was lucky, he might manage to ruin someone else's day in the process.  
  
Vegeta frowned and slowly made it to the bathroom, only bumping into the wall once or twice along the way. He threw some ice-cold water on his face and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. Then he headed for the kitchen.  
  
The mixture of several scents hit him just before the reached the doorway. Pancakes. Bacon. Eggs. Chocolate. Leftover Chinese food. That brown substance Washu had sworn wasn't fit even for Saiyan consumption. And soy sauce, of all things.  
  
Then there was the singing.  
  
Vegeta closed his eyes, muttered a silent wish that he wouldn't scream upon facing the impending terror, and stepped into the kitchen.  
  
The first thing he saw was the table. It was mostly hidden in a pile of empty Chinese food cartons, egg shells, pancake mix boxes, syrup bottles, candy bar wrappers, and other things.   
  
It's her. I KNOW it's her.  
  
He turned slightly.  
  
I knew it.  
  
The source of the mess suddenly became very clear. Yugi was standing before the stove, cooking...something. That was the best word he could think of. Naturally, since she was too short to reach the stove, she was standing on a stack of phone books, which were piled in a chair. The chair was being held in place by Sabrina, or rather, her telekinetic powers. Sabrina herself was actually busy attempting to scrape a dripping substance from the ceiling. Although she wasn't standing on anything, unless you counted air itself.  
  
Vegeta sucked in some air, trying to think of what he should say first.  
  
Sabrina glanced at him, offered a quick grin, and then tapped Yugi's forehead with one of her bare feet. She had a habit of going shoeless, something that annoyed most people to no end. Vegeta just thought it was weird.  
  
Yugi stopped singing and finally looked up, giving him one of her irresistibly cute and undeniably precious smiles. "Vegeta, you're up!"  
  
Vegeta's reply was a grunt. His eyes shifted to whatever she was cooking.  
  
"Oh, this? It's a new experiment. You get to help."  
  
That, of course, meant he got the unfortunate pleasure of actually TASTING whatever was in the pan. Lately, Yugi was treating him more like a guinea pig than Washu ever had.  
  
Not wanting to think about it, he glanced at the mess Sabrina was cleaning up.  
  
Yugi followed his gaze. "That? It's the funniest thing, y'know."  
  
Somehow, whenever Yugi messed up, it was always..."funny."  
  
"I was flipping the pancakes, and one of them hit the ceiling!" Yugi said this with her usual childish innocence, as if the idea of pancakes hitting the ceiling was totally impossible in her mind. "Anyway, Sabrina's getting it off."  
  
"All done!" Sabrina announced. She floated to the floor and threw the wasted pancake mix in the trash.  
  
"A question," Vegeta said slowly.  
  
"Yes?" Yugi asked sweetly.  
  
"What is it exactly that you're...cooking?"  
  
"Wouldn't YOU like to know?" she teased.  
  
"...you don't know, do you?" Vegeta guessed, a hint of fear slipping into his voice.  
  
Yugi smirked. "Sabrina, tell him what's on the menu."  
  
"Right!" Though not as powerful as Yugi's, Sabrina's smile was still good enough to make even Vegeta consider being nice for a change. "We have pancakes, bacon, and...um...omelets."  
  
Vegeta arched an eyebrow. "Omelets," he repeated slowly.  
  
"That's right," Sabrina confirmed.  
  
He noticed that she hadn't mentioned the chocolate, the Chinese food, or the brown substance, which only made him more suspicious. "What's in the omelets, besides eggs?" Vegeta paused. "There ARE eggs in them?"  
  
"Of course, silly!" Yugi replied. "I just added some things."  
  
"Like?"  
  
"Chicken-fried rice, and a little soy sauce for flavor."  
  
Vegeta considered that for a moment. It didn't sound THAT bad. "What about the chocolate?"  
  
Sabrina held up a plate of pancakes. Upon closer inspection, Vegeta could see what he hoped were chocolate dots in them.  
  
Yugi frowned at him. "Honestly, V-Man. You act like we're trying to poison you!"  
  
Vegeta stared at her for a long moment, then decided that he might as well die on a full stomach. With another grunt, he cleared a place at the table and sat down.  
  
Sabrina instantly placed a plate in front of him. There was a stack of the chocolate pancakes, bacon, and an omelet, all of which actually smelled pretty good and looked edible enough.  
  
I suppose I could get Washu to pump my stomach later...  
  
"Hey, we made that stuff for eating, not staring!" Yugi stomped her foot, looking something like an angry pixie in overalls.   
  
Of course, that only made Vegeta want to laugh, and he would have, if he wasn't so worried about her breakfast shortening his life span considerably. With a slightly trembling hand, he slowly raised a strip of bacon to his mouth and bit down on it.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Ryoko was slowly accepting the idea that no, Yugi was not just some bad dream, and yes, she was going to be staying, no matter what a certain girlfriend of Vegeta's thought.   
  
However, ever since she'd first seen Yugi with Vegeta, Ryoko had sensed a slight...attraction between the two. Hardly on Vegeta's part, of course. He was as cold and unfeeling as he had always been. Towards everyone but Yugi, anyway. The girl was friendly to just about anyone, especially when it came to her Saiyan savior. She was getting a little too close for comfort in Ryoko's mind.   
  
The only times Yugi left Vegeta's side was when she attended her Psychic Club meetings, or when she went out with Sabrina, and even then, Ryoko KNEW that the topic of most of their talks was Vegeta. Sabrina obviously had a huge crush on Vegeta, but this had yet to cause any friction between the two girls. If anything, their shared affection for the Saiyan only made their friendship stronger.  
  
At any rate, Ryoko was extremely jealous of the girls, especially Yugi. She knew Vegeta only put up with Sabrina for Yugi's sake, but she still couldn't figure out why he cared so much about Yugi. Though he would never admit it to anyone, not even Yugi herself, Vegeta would protect the girl with his dying breath. Whether he would do the same for Ryoko, or anyone else, for that matter, was questionable and sometimes laughable.  
  
So it was easy to see why Ryoko was upset when she walked into the kitchen. There was Sabrina, in her usual spot at the table. She appeared to be eating some sort of pancakes. Ryoko could handle that easily enough.  
  
What she couldn't handle was the fact that Vegeta was also eating the pancakes. It wasn't that she hated breakfast foods or anything like that. It was that Yugi was sitting in his lap, actually feeding (or forcing) him the food.   
  
"See?" Yugi said as Vegeta swallowed another bite. "It's good!"  
  
Ryoko barely suppressed the urge to blast anything that moved. "Vegeta."  
  
Vegeta looked at her and started to speak, but Yugi shoved more pancakes into his mouth before he could form a syllable.  
  
"Would you like some breakfast, Ryoko?" Sabrina asked. "We have bacon and-"  
  
"What do you think you're doing?" Ryoko interrupted, staring directly at Yugi.  
  
"Making sure Vegeta stays healthy," Yugi replied, barely even looking at her. "He can't protect me if he doesn't eat right." She paused. "You can have some, too. There's plenty in the oven."  
  
Ryoko hesitated, then pulled open the oven and grabbed a plate. Shooting another glare at Yugi, she sat across from Sabrina and began to eat.  
  
Vegeta finally convinced Yugi that he was full and asked, "What happened to that brown stuff?"  
  
Yugi made a face. "You mean the thing Washu-"  
  
"Yes!"   
  
"Oh, that. I made Sabrina throw it away."  
  
Sabrina looked up from her plate. "Uh...about that. I...um..."  
  
"What?!" Vegeta asked, his eyes widening in horror.  
  
"I might have kinda sorta dropped it in one of the pancakes."  
  
At that moment, Ryoko took her first bite of a pancake. She turned green, then collapsed to the floor.  
  
"That's not going to make her like me much, is it?" Yugi asked, giving Vegeta a worried look.  
  
"No, Yugi, I don't think it will."  
  
* * * * *  
  
Professor Washu was prepared for an incident, to say the least. After all, science and students just didn't mix well. At least, not at the Chaos Academy. Tetsuo was a perfect example. His last science project, "The Effects of Dark Matter on Hazardous Chemicals," had been fatal for anyone sitting too close. The more complicated the science was, the more destructive potential there was. So when Washu noticed that it was time for their study of time fluctuation, she took three aspirin just before her class began. That turned out to be a good idea.  
  
Halfway into the class period, someone raised their hand. It was Yugi.  
  
Washu closed her eyes, counted to ten, and slowly walked over to Yugi's desk. "What is it, Yugi?"  
  
"Um...Professor Washu?" Yugi nibbled nervously on her little finger. "I messed up. Big time."  
  
"How big, dear?" Washu asked, resisting the urge to scream.  
  
"Well, you know how I was working on a time machine a second ago?"  
  
Washu had figured that while Yugi was bright enough to construct a model of a time machine, she wouldn't be able to create a working once, so she'd approved the project. "Yes, Yugi, I remember."  
  
"Um...it's gone now. What should I do?"  
  
"What do you mean, it's gone?" Washu asked.  
  
"It just...is," Yugi replied, shrugging helplessly. "I don't know where it is." Suddenly, her bottom lip began to tremble. "Am I gonna get an F?" she asked, her eyes brimming with tears.  
  
Washu stroked the girl's hair reassuringly. "No, honey. Calm down. I'm sure we can work something out. Now, what were you doing when it disappeared?"  
  
Yugi sniffled a bit. "I had just rewired the console, and I think I crossed the wrong wires."  
  
Suddenly, the time machine reappeared, landing on the desk with a loud thump.  
  
"Hey, it's back!" Yugi squealed, giving the machine a big hug.  
  
"But where has it been?" Washu asked.  
  
"That's a good question." Yugi pressed a button on the side and waited.   
  
Nothing happened.  
  
"That's funny. It's supposed to open when I do that."  
  
"I keep a crowbar in my office in case of emergencies. Come on, let's go get it."  
  
After Washu and Yugi left the room, the time machine gave a loud hiss as it slowly opened. A small, pale hand emerged and gripped the side, and a sinister, inhuman giggle came from within.  
  
* * * * *  
  
"So when you came back, it was open?" Sabrina asked.  
  
"Yeah, but nothing was inside." Yugi closed her eyes.  
  
The five wooden boards in front of her suddenly snapped in half.  
  
Sabrina checked her watch. "Three seconds. You're getting faster."  
  
"I could do better," Yugi muttered.  
  
"And you will," said a voice behind her.  
  
Yugi gasped as a thin hand came to rest on her shoulder. She looked up, then sighed in relief. "Oh, it's just you, Tetsuo."  
  
Tetsuo smiled. "I see you're still practicing with wood."  
  
"What do you mean?" Yugi asked.  
  
"I expected you to be on solid steel by now."  
  
"Steel?" she repeated, a blank look on her face.  
  
"Shall I demonstrate?"  
  
"No, that's okay!" Yugi said quickly. "I believe you. I just...um...need more practice."  
  
Tetsuo nodded and vanished.  
  
"Maybe you should move on, my friend," Sabrina suggested. "We can start with spoons, just like I did."  
  
Yugi shook her head. "I can't concentrate right now, Sabrina.  
  
"Would a snack help? I think I can find where Ryoko hid the cookies."  
  
"I guess," Yugi muttered with a sigh.  
  
The two girls walked into the house.  
  
"Hey, Yugi? Why is it whenever we come to Washu's house, we end up in Ryoko's room?"  
  
"Oh, that? Washu said she had some kinda portal hooked up to Ryoko's room. She's got one hooked up to Vegeta's room, too, but he doesn't sleep in there anymore."  
  
Sabrina stared at her friend. "So...even though their dorm rooms are in two different buildings...we can get to both of them by coming here?"  
  
Yugi nodded. "I know it sounds weird, but Washu's really smart and she can do stuff like that."  
  
"Oh. Well, I'll go look for the cookies."  
  
As Sabrina headed for the kitchen, Yugi wandered into the living room, where she found Vegeta sitting on the couch. He was watching something on TV. Not having anything better to do, Yugi climbed into his lap. "What are we watching?"  
  
"The news," he replied.  
  
Yugi turned her attention to the TV.  
  
"This is John Johnson, live from the WUSS newsroom, where we have continuing coverage of the strange but destructive events happening all over town. Now we go to Don Donaldson, who is in the field. Don?"  
  
"Thanks, John! I'm standing here outside what used to be Sadistic Stadium. Police are saying that around 10:35 this morning, the structure collapsed because of weak supports. However, witnesses say that the destruction was caused by, believe it or not, seven green midgets!"  
  
"Midgets, Don?"  
  
"That's right, John! Midgets!"  
  
Vegeta glanced at Yugi. "Have you been committing random acts of violence without permission again?"  
  
"No, of course not! I was still in class with Washu at 10:35. You can ask her when she gets home."  
  
Vegeta grunted. "Well, you are pretty short, but you aren't green...although that friend of yours has green hair."  
  
"Sabrina didn't do it. Besides, she's only one person."  
  
Vegeta didn't say anything else, but he kept giving her suspicious looks.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Around 1:15 AM, Vegeta was awakened by a series of frightened screams. As soon as he recognized them as Yugi's, any sort of grogginess instantly faded away. He flew from Ryoko's bedroom like a man possessed, charging down the hall with a speed he'd never known before. Within seconds, he reached his old room and ran inside.  
  
Yugi was lying in the center of the bed, curled up in the fetal position with a blanket wrapped around her body. Her blue eyes were wide with fear, and large drops of sweat rolled off her forehead. She was shaking like a leaf in the wind.  
  
Vegeta walked over to the bed and carefully lifted her in his arms. Yugi instantly clung to him, burying her head against his chest as if she was trying to burrow through him. Vegeta gently stroked her hair until she calmed down. "What happened?" he asked quietly.  
  
"N-Nightmare," Yugi muttered, starting to shake again.  
  
"Tell me about it."  
  
She hesitated, then whimpered. "The voices. They kept calling my name!"  
  
"What did they want?"  
  
Yugi shook her head. "Don't know. They kept asking for my help, but they were so scary!"  
  
"You just had a bad dream, Yugi. That's all."  
  
"NO!" she cried. "They were REAL! I heard them! You have to believe me!" Her eyes locked on his face, as if trying to express her desperation.  
  
Vegeta smiled thinly and held her close. "It only seemed real. It was just a dream."  
  
"But-"  
  
"A dream," he insisted, pressing a finger to her lips. "You'll be fine."  
  
"No! Don't leave me alone, Vegeta! Please!" Tears started to form in her eyes, and Yugi threw her arms around his neck. "Please don't leave me!" she pleaded. "I'm scared!"  
  
Vegeta hugged her tightly. "I have a championship game tomorrow, Yugi. I can't stay up with you all night."  
  
Yugi whimpered again and sniffled.  
  
Vegeta closed his eyes and sighed. "What if I called Sabrina and convinced her to stay instead? Would you like that?"  
  
She nodded.  
  
"Good. You stay here while I call her."  
  
"NO! I can't be alone!" Yugi nearly screamed.  
  
"Fine! Just be quiet before you wake Ryoko!"  
  
Yugi piped down, and Vegeta quickly made the call. Ten minutes later, Sabrina walked in with a large pillow. Vegeta then detached Yugi from his neck and attached her to Sabrina, who didn't seem to mind Yugi's death grip as much.  
  
Sabrina led Yugi back to the bedroom. "I've never seen you like this, my friend. Could the dream have been that bad?"  
  
"I don't care what Vegeta says. I heard those voices, Sabrina. They're real!"  
  
"Yugi, I really don't think so. It sounds like you had a-"  
  
Suddenly, there was a giggle from the corner of the room.  
  
"Did you do that?" Sabrina asked.  
  
Yugi shook her head.  
  
Both girls looked at each other, then dove under the blankets.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Ryoko smirked. "I say you're both crazy."  
  
Yugi glared at her from Vegeta's lap. "I know what I heard, Ryoko. Sabrina heard them, too!"  
  
"I have a theory," Washu said. "I think Yugi's time machine, the voices she heard, and the chaotic events all over town are related."  
  
"How?" Sabrina asked.  
  
"Maybe Yugi's time machine actually worked. Maybe it traveled into the past and/or future, where some creature climbed inside and made it back here. Maybe that creature ventured out and destroyed anything in its path. Maybe that creature was in Yugi's room last night."  
  
Yugi's eyes widened, and she clung to Vegeta's neck tightly.  
  
"Don't give her any ideas, Washu," Vegeta muttered, losing some of his circulation.  
  
"But what does it want from me?" Yugi asked.  
  
"Guess we'll have to find out," Washu replied, a mysterious look on her face.  
  
Yugi whimpered and buried her face in Vegeta's shirt. "You won't let it eat me, will you, Vegeta?"  
  
Vegeta rolled his eyes. "Maybe you should give it one of your killer pancakes."  
  
"Nothing living deserves that kind of cruelty," Ryoko muttered.  
  
* * * * *  
  
"And you say they called your name?" Tetsuo asked.  
  
Yugi nodded. "Vegeta said it was a dream, but Sabrina heard them, too!"  
  
"I did," Sabrina agreed. "They sounded scary, but they were asking for Yugi's help."  
  
"Interesting," Tetsuo said. "Well, I think Washu might be right. Perhaps you should ask Professor Tomoe to examine the time machine for traces of foreign DNA. It might be possible to identify the creature...or creatures."  
  
"We thought of that," Sabrina replied. "He's analyzing it right now."  
  
* * * * *  
  
Prof. Tomoe frowned. "There's good news and bad, Vegeta."  
  
"Good first."  
  
"Well, the good news is that so far, I've identified several traces of DNA, all of which I'm familiar with. I've found Namekian, Saiyan, Human, and Changeling, among others. The bad news is that I can't figure out what it all means."  
  
"So it's possible that four or more creatures were in this time machine?" Vegeta asked.  
  
"Either that, or whatever was inside is going through a serious identity crisis."  
  
* * * * *  
  
Sabrina was just leaving the girl's bathroom when something grabbed her wrist. She turned around to stare into a pale face surrounded by what appeared to be an army fatigue helmet.  
  
"You," it whispered. "You have her scent!"  
  
"Excuse me?" Sabrina asked.  
  
"Are you...The Cutie Pie?"  
  
Sabrina blinked. "...no?"  
  
The creature growled in frustration. "But you have her scent! You have been in contact with her!"  
  
"WHO?" Sabrina asked.   
  
"The Cutie Pie!"  
  
Sabrina gradually put two and two together. "OH! Um...follow me, then."  
  
"Hold it right there, you two!"  
  
Sabrina looked up to see Mistress Nine, Professor Tomoe's teaching assistant, leaning over them. "Oh. Hi, Miss Nine."  
  
"Sabrina, I do believe we've talked about your tardiness before."  
  
"Yes, but I have a good excuse this time!"  
  
Mistress Nine noticed the thing behind her. "What...is that?"  
  
"Him? Oh, he's...my second cousin! From Mars! Exchange student!" Sabrina smiled hopefully. "I was just showing him around."  
  
"I see. Proceed."  
  
Sabrina sighed in relief and started to pull the creature away.  
  
"Oh, Sabrina? What's your cousin's name?"  
  
Sabrina froze. "Um...what?"  
  
"His name. What is it?" Mistress Nine repeated.  
  
Sabrina drew a total blank. "I...um...his name? It's...uh..."  
  
"CJ," the creature growled.  
  
"CJ?" Mistress Nine looked fairly suspicious. "You're from Mars, and your name is...CJ?"  
  
"It's short for...um..." Sabrina looked at the creature helplessly.  
  
"Cyclatorian Janissiper," it replied.  
  
"Right!" Sabrina grinned. "See?! A Martian name!"  
  
Mistress Nine didn't look too convinced. However, she quickly walked away, intending to head straight to the class rosters. She'd never heard of any Martians enrolled in the academy. Mostly because there were none, but she wasn't sure of that. At least, she wouldn't be until she'd gone through every single file. But by then, of course, it would be too late.  
  
"I don't like her," CJ muttered. "Now, take me to the Cutie Pie at once, female!"  
  
"Okay, calm down, CJ. And my name is Sabrina."  
  
"Quickly, Sabrina-female! This matter is of great importance!"  
  
Sabrina rolled her eyes. "I hope you're not really a Martian, because you're giving them a bad name if you are."  
  
CJ frowned a bit, but resisted the urge to blast her. First, the Sabrina-female would lead him to the Cutie Pie. THEN he would blast her, and it would be fun. Very much fun, indeed.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Yugi was eating her lunch when a strange...person appeared across the table from her.  
  
"Are you the Cutie Pie?" he asked.  
  
"I've been called that a few times," Yugi admitted. "You are?"  
  
"CJ," it replied. "I have been searching for you."  
  
"Okay." Yugi offered him half of her sandwich. "It's tuna."  
  
CJ took the sandwich and stared at it.  
  
"You eat it. Like this." Yugi finished the rest of her half.  
  
CJ watched intently, then did as she did, only much louder, and with crumbs flying out of his mouth.  
  
"You're a weird kid," Yugi said. "But at least you're nice. What planet are you from?"  
  
CJ hesitated. "Earth," he said finally.  
  
"No offense, but you don't look anything like an Earthling."  
  
"I was born on Earth," he explained. "I'm actually an android."  
  
"Cool!" Yugi grinned. "Can you shoot lasers and stuff?"  
  
CJ raised his hand. Instantly, the back wall of the lunch room vanished in a huge explosion.  
  
"Forget the time machine! YOU'RE my new project!" Yugi grabbed CJ's hand and dragged him towards Washu's classroom. She had just reached the door when she bumped into Sabrina, who was doing the exact same thing.   
  
"Yugi, this guy's been looking for you. His name is CJ." Sabrina pointed to the creature behind her, who looked exactly like Yugi's CJ.  
  
"This just got weird." Yugi stared at the two androids. "Which is which?"  
  
"I am CJ7," the one next to Yugi replied.  
  
"I am CJ1," the other said.  
  
"So where are the other five?" Sabrina asked.  
  
There was a crash inside Washu's classroom.  
  
"I think we just found them." Yugi peered inside, where Vegeta, Ryoko, Washu, Garlic, and Tetsuo were trying to control five more CJs. They weren't having much luck.  
  
"Can't you do something about them?" Sabrina asked CJ1.  
  
CJ1 walked into the room and whistled. The other CJs quickly lined up in front of him.  
  
"That was easy," Yugi muttered. "So you guys are brothers?"  
  
"Yes," CJ7 replied.  
  
"And you're all named CJ?"  
  
"Correct," CJ1 answered.  
  
"How can you tell who is who?" Sabrina asked.  
  
CJ1 raised his foot. There was a large 1 stamped on the bottom.  
  
"You know these things?" Vegeta asked, looking more confused than angry.  
  
"We just met," Yugi replied.  
  
"So these are the things from the time machine. I thought they'd be...bigger," Washu said.  
  
"Just be glad they aren't." Ryoko frowned. "Little punks are tough enough as it is."  
  
"At least they're not destroying things anymore." Yugi turned to the androids. "So why were you guys blowing up stuff?"  
  
Six little android heads dropped in shame, and CJ7 spoke up, his voice trembling. "Papa was mad at us. He said we had to learn how to become real bad guys, so he sent us back here to find the Cutie Pie. He said she would teach us how to be truly evil."  
  
"Hate to tell you this, guys, but I'm just learning myself," Yugi admitted. "Right now, you're about as evil as I am."  
  
"You mean...you can't teach us?" CJ1 asked in disbelief. "But you're the Cutie Pie! You MUST teach us! We can't go back until we're evil!"  
  
"Hold on," Washu interrupted. "Maybe she can't teach you, but this is the perfect school for anyone who wants to be evil. You boys should enroll here."  
  
CJ7 looked at Yugi questioningly.  
  
"She's right. You could even stay with me while you're here."  
  
Vegeta's eyes widened in alarm, and Ryoko frowned.  
  
"She makes an interesting point, brothers," one of the CJs said. "We have nowhere else to go."  
  
CJ1 nodded. "Very well, Cutie Pie. We will live with you and learn the ways of evil."  
  
Yugi giggled. "You can just call me Yugi, guys. Though I don't mind the other name so much, either."  
  
"So what's the CJ really stand for?" Sabrina asked.  
  
"Cell Junior," all seven androids replied at once.  
  
"Our father is the great and terrible Cell," CJ1 said. "He sent us into the past so that we would gain knowledge of all things evil."  
  
"So you're from the future?" Yugi asked. "Maybe that's why I don't know who he is."  
  
"Papa said you were his protege in the future," CJ7 added. "He has much faith in your abilities, and said we should find you as soon as possible."  
  
"All I know is they aren't sleeping in MY room," Ryoko muttered.  
  
* * * * *  
  
The score was tied up at 39. The Heralds only needed a touchdown to avoid an overtime they probably wouldn't do well in. All eyes turned to Vegeta for the miracle play.  
  
"So what do we do?" Tetsuo asked, adjusting his helmet.  
  
Vegeta thought for a moment. "We're going to try the Dragon's Breath."  
  
"But that never works! We always screw it up!" one of the linebackers said.  
  
"Well, look at it this way," Vegeta replied, grabbing the boy's helmet and yanking it forward. "If it doesn't work, you won't have to worry about losing. Just worry about what I'll do to you."  
  
The boy gulped and nodded.  
  
"Good." Vegeta led the team back onto the field and went into position. He couldn't help remembering the linebacker's concern, though. The Dragon's Breath never had worked. It required a large amount of stamina, strength, and ki energy. If executed correctly, it was supposed to be fatal to the opposing team. However, in the Heralds' successful history, misfires had resulted in the loss of their own star quarterbacks. Of course, none of them had been Saiyans...yet, anyway.  
  
Vegeta was so absorbed with setting up the play that he didn't notice seven green figures creeping onto the turf. Since they were green, neither did anyone else.  
  
To Vegeta, everything seemed to move in slow motion. The ball was tossed into his hands, and he faded back, looking for someone to throw to. Then, just like that, Vegeta vanished. At least, to everyone watching.  
  
The truth was quickly realized as Vegeta reappeared, racing towards his sixth touchdown of the night. Tetsuo was directly behind him, his body already in flames. He grabbed Vegeta by the waist and zoomed towards the end zone, surrounding them both in blue fire. As he crossed the thirty yard line, the flame extended outwards, keeping the weaker defenders away. However, the Wraiths had their three biggest defenders racing toward the duo.  
  
Suddenly, five glowing figures seemed to erupt from the turf, slamming into the Big Three from behind. Two more latched onto Vegeta & Tetsuo, increasing the flame tenfold. For a few seconds, the entire end zone was covered in blue flame.   
  
When the smoke cleared, a horrific picture was painted. It looked as if every one of the Wraiths that had been on the field had somehow spontaneously combusted. The seven figures has vanished as quickly as they had come, and Vegeta was unconscious behind the goal line. Tetsuo was in slightly better condition, though it was clear that even he couldn't believe the Dragon's Breath had worked so well.  
  
Only a select few knew right away that Yugi was indirectly responsible for the Heralds' victory.  
  
* * * * *  
  
When Vegeta woke up, he was greeted by seven green blobs and one yellow mess. Then his vision cleared, and he could see that it was only Yugi and the CJs.  
  
"Guess what, Vegeta?!" Yugi asked, bubbling with excitement.  
  
"This is all a horrible dream and they're not really here?"  
  
"Of course they're here! They helped you win the championship!"  
  
Vegeta blinked. "What?"  
  
"Right after Tetsuo made that psychic illusion of you, I had two of them grab you and Tetsuo and extend the flame outwards. The rest of them took out anyone the flame didn't get."  
  
Vegeta looked at the seven CJs, then back at Yugi. "Oh."  
  
"I named them, too!" Yugi continued. "There's Brainy, Wimpy, Moby, Eany, Meany, Miney, and Moey!"  
  
Vegeta blinked again.   
  
"Okay. Brainy's the smartest, Wimpy's the scarediest, Moby's the fattest, Eany's the littlest, Meany's the meanest, Miney's the selfish one, and Moey's...well...the last one."  
  
To his credit, Vegeta kept a straight face through it all. "I see."  
  
"But there's more! Professor Tomoe wants us to perform 'Snow White' for the school. And guess who gets to be the handsome prince?!"  
  
Vegeta turned pale. "Tetsuo?"  
  
"No, silly! YOU!" Yugi grinned and hugged him. "And guess who gets to be the lucky girl you have to kiss?"  
  
"Ryoko? Sabrina? Washu???"  
  
"NO! Me!" Yugi frowned. "I can't believe you said Washu!"  
  
"Try to understand, Yugi. I have an image to uphold."  
  
"Are you denying the Cutie Pie?" Meany asked wearily, his eyes narrowing. "Because THAT would be stupid of you."  
  
Vegeta growled. "Look, you little-"  
  
"Listen up, Saiya-man, man," Moby interrupted. "I'm gonna make youse an offer youse can't refuse."  
  
Vegeta blinked, trying to think of a reply.  
  
"Either youse kiss the Cutie Pie," Moby went on, pinching Yugi's cheek, "or youse gonna swim with the little fishies. Youse got me, Saiya-man, man?"  
  
Vegeta was still trying to think of an answer when Brainy spoke up.  
  
"I say, brothers. Perhaps we should draw up a physical contract, so Vegeta can't go back on his word."  
  
"Word?!" Vegeta snapped. "I haven't promised anything!"  
  
"Fishies, Saiya-man, man," Moby reminded him with a cold look. "Remember the little fishies. They hungry for you. No, I'm hungry. Anybody got a sandwich or something, man?"  
  
"Vegeta, you're already a prince," Yugi said. "Why won't you be MY prince?!"  
  
"It wouldn't be right," he said at last.  
  
"But why?!"  
  
"It just wouldn't, Yugi. Trust me on this."  
  
Yugi pouted, but finally left the room, followed by the seven CJs.   
  
Vegeta sighed and tried to get some sleep. But then he heard a voice.  
  
"Fishies, Saiya-man, man. They coming for you. They hungry for you... Mmm, this pimento loaf is divine... Fishies, man...with tartar sauce and...shrimp cocktail... Oh, YEAH, that's the stuff, man..."  
  
"MOBY, GET LOST!"  
  
  
The End.  
  
Up Next: Graduation day for the Chaos Academy students! The search for their first evil jobs! The end of Vegeta & Ryoko (for now)! The CJs are reunited with Cell! Sabrina says goodbye! And more! (hopefully, anyhow...) ^_^ 


End file.
